Executive Summary

The City of South Bend requested an assessment of the city’s current housing situation from both a rental and owner-occupied perspective. The research team analyzed social, demographic, and economic data available from the U.S. Census as well as residential housing data sources (e.g. Zillow). With this data, models were created to find commonalities within the data at a Census Block Group level to group them into clusters or “profiles”. The team then used these “profiles” to perform statistical and inferential analyses to illustrate similarities and differences among granular areas of the City of South Bend.
The results shown in greater detail in this paper found five clusters of similar Census Block Groups. These five clusters have unique and differentiating characteristics, and they span many areas of the greater South Bend area. While some are naturally grouped in close geographic proximity, it is enlightening to see Block Groups from geographically different areas of the city and outlying areas clustered together. This paper will explain the process used to extract the data, the methodology behind the models created to cluster the data, and the statistical analysis done on the clusters to create “profiles”.

Data Description

The primary source of data for this analysis was the American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the US Census Bureau. The ACS is an ongoing survey that provides vital information on an annual basis about the nation and its people. Information from the survey generates data that helps drive federal and state funding decisions. The data is made available via API from the US Census website, and for our analysis we used the 2017 data for St. Joseph County - which includes South Bend. The US Census divides geographic areas into two primary categories: a Census Tract and a Census Block Group. These are simple geographic perimeters defined by census officials. Tracts can be made up of one or more Block Groups. For St. Joseph County, there are a total of 76 Census Tracts and 227 Census Block Groups. The ACS provides a vast number of variables from which we selected approximately 104 variables for our analysis. We focused on using the Census Block Groups in our modeling as that provided more granular areas for potential clustering; however, Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) was conducted on both Block Group and Tract data. See Appendix A for a full list of variables used.

County-wide Block Group Data

The maps and data tables below show data related to all the block groups in St. Joseph’s county.

Variables Included in this Analysis
Population Two Person Families Education - GED or Alternative Household Income - $45,000 - $49,999
Housing Units Three Person Families Education - Less Than 1 Year College Household Income - $50,000 - $59,999
Occupied Housing Units Four Person Families Education - More Than 1 Year Collage - No Degree Household Income - $60,000 - $74,999
Vacant Housing Units Five Person Families Education - Associates Degree Household Income - $75,000 - $99,999
Owner-Occupied Units Six Person Families Education - Bachelors Degree Household Income - $100,000 - $124,999
Renter-Occupied Units 7 or More Person Families Education - Masters Degree Household Income - $125,000 - $149,999
Units for Rent 1 Person Non-families Education - Professional School Degree Household Income - $150,000 - $199,999
Rented, Non-Occupied Units 2 Person Non-families Education - Doctorate Degree Household Income - $200,000 or More
Units for Sale 3 Person Non-families Commute - Car, Truck or Van Median Rent/Income
Sold, Non-Occupied Units 4 Person Non-families Commute - Drive Alone Median Housing Cost
25th Percentile Home Value 5 Person Non-families Commute - Carpool Median Non-family Income
50th Percentile Home Value 6 Person Non-families Commute - 2 Person Carpool Median Rent - No Bedrooms
75th Percentile Home Value 7 or More Person Non-families Commute - 3 Person Carpool Median Rent - 1 Bedroom
Median Owner Cost - Mortgage Labor Force Commute - 4 Person Carpool Median Rent - 2 Bedrooms
Median Owner Cost - No Mortgage Civilian Labor Force Commute - 5 or 6 Person Carpool Median Rent - 3 Bedrooms
Median Owner Cost/Income - Mortgage Civilian Labor Force - Employed Commute - 7 or More Person Carpool Median Rent - 4 Bedrooms
Median Owner Cost/Income - No Mortgage Civilian Labor Force - Unemployed Commute - Public Transportation Median Rent - 5 or More Bedrooms
Median Family Income Military Labor Force Commute - Bus or Trolley Median Rent
White Population Non-Labor Force Commute - Subway or Elevated Train Aggregate Income Deficit
Black Population Education - No Schooling Commute - Railroad Train Aggregate Income Deficit - Married
Native American Population Education - Nursery School Commute - Ferry Boat Aggregate Income Deficit - Nonmarried
Asian Population Education - Kindergarten Commute - Taxi Aggregate Income Deficit - No Wife
Pacific Islander Population Education - First Grade Commute - Motorcycle Aggregate Income Deficit - No Husband
Other Population Education - Second Grade Commute - Bicycle Median Household Income
Two or More Races Population Education - Third Grade Commute - Walk Median Household Income - Owners
Median Age Education - Fourth Grade Commute - Other Means Median Household Income - Renters
Median Age - Male Education - Fifth Grade Commute - Work from Home Commute - Streetcar or Trolley Car
Median Age - Female Education - Sixth Grade Household Income - Less than $10,000 Empolyed - No Vehicles Available
Households Education - Seventh Grade Household Income - $10,000 - $14,999 Empolyed - 1 Vehicle Available
Family Households Education - Eighth Grade Household Income - $15,000 - $19,999 Empolyed - 2 Vehicles Available
Family Households - Married Education - Ninth Grade Household Income - $20,000 - $24,999 Empolyed - 3 Vehicles Available
Family Households - Other Education - Tenth Grade Household Income - $25,000 - $29,999 Empolyed - 4 Vehicles Available
Non-family Households Education - Eleventh Grade Household Income - $30,000 - $34,999 Empolyed - 5 Vehicles Available
Non-family Households - Alone Education - Twelfth Grade - No Diploma Household Income - $35,000 - $39,999
Non-family Households - Not Alone Education - High School Diploma Household Income - $40,000 - $44,999

Interactive Block Group and Neighborhood Map

The map below shows the boundaries of the census Block Groups, colored by their profile. Additionally, neighborhood boundaries from the South Bend Neighborhood Resources Connection.

Average Values for Each Profile

Below, the data table shows the average values of the Block Groups that are contained within each profile.

Total Values for Each Profile

Below, the data table shows the total values of the Block Groups that are contained within each profile.

Neighborhood Block Group Data

Next, geospatial analysis is conducted to find Block Groups that overlap with the Neighborhood Resource Council’s defined neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Map

First, a map of the neighborhoods is created for reference.

Overlapping Neighborhoods and Block Groups

Next, a table is created which lists each neighborhood, the block groups that overlap with that neighborhood, and the variables for those block groups.

Average Values for Overlapping Neighborhoods and Block Groups

Below, a table is created that shows the average values of the block groups that touch each neighborhood.

Individual Profiles

This section will dive deeper into each individual profile.

Profile 1

Below is a map of profile 1. A few key statistics for each block group are shown when that block group is clicked.

Below are unique characteristics of Profile 1.

  • Large number of vacant housing units (24%)
  • Mostly rentals (61%)
  • Lowest rent ($720)
  • Low median age (33 years)
  • Majority non-families (60%)
  • Fewest people per housing unit (1.5)

Profile 2

Below are unique characteristics of Profile 2.

  • Largest average population (3,065)
  • Most people per housing unit (4)
  • Middle range of total housing units
  • High amount of occupied housing units (95%)
  • Mostly owner-occupied units (91%)
  • Highest median housing value ($260,950)
  • Highest income ($131,101)
  • Large amount of families (81%)
  • Most with bachelor degrees (33%)
  • High cost with a mortgage and without a mortgage

Profile 3

Below are unique characteristics of Profile 3.

  • Older median age (41 years)
  • Middle range median income ($67,541)
  • High percentage of owner-occupied housing (68%)

Profile 4

Below are unique characteristics of Profile 4.

  • Lowest median housing value ($69,054)
  • Lowest income for family and non-family
  • Medium rent
  • Low median age (32 years)
  • Most diverse group (65% White/28% Black/1% Asian)
  • Lowest college degrees
  • Lowest cost without a mortgage and with a mortgage
  • High rent compared to house value (compare with profile 3 who has similar rent)

Profile 5

Below are unique characteristics of Profile 5.

City and County Comparison

This section will find block groups that overlap with the city limits and those that do not. The average values of the variables will be shown for in-city and out-city block groups, as well as the county as a whole.